Afterglow | The Clone Wars

20 | Sins in A Smile

She could tell that she was inside the room of a ship. The walls around her vibrated from the motion of it shooting through hyperspace. Her fingers tapped against her stomach patiently as she waited for the Bounty Hunter to come for her. She had been alone ever since she awoke from unconsciousness. After he electrocuted her back on Coruscant, he had thrown her on board his ship and took off across the galaxy. He had accomplished his mission, he had caught the Jedi. Now it was time to get paid. Dakota pulled herself up to a sitting position and leaned against the wall, closing her sharp green eyes.

She used this time to contemplate, to wonder who had sent the Bounty Hunter after her. She didn't have all that many sworn enemies that she knows of. She's never come in contact with Count Dooku or anyone like him, General Grevious only a few times. There is Ventress out there, but they've never crossed paths in person before. Hondo Ohnaka crossed her mind, but he's not an enemy, more of an inconvenience. She breathed out deeply, rubbing her fingers over the blaster wound on her wrist where the handcuff was. That's when Cad Bane emerged in through the sliding door.

"I was wondering where you were, Bane" she told him without opening her eyes "I was beginning to get lonely"

"A little solitary confinement against ones will never killed nobody" he said, coming to stand over her.

"How about we switch places, and we test that theory?" she offered, her voice low.

"I like where I am now" he kicked her leg to get her moving "Get up Jedi, we're approaching our destination"

"We're going to see my secret admirer?" she asked in a carefree manner, and willingly stood up, her legs and arms still connected by the thick chains.

"I don't care what this person is to you" he shrugged "I'm just doing my job"

"What an awful profession"

"Nothing can possibly be worse than being a Jedi"

She nodded some dark hair from her eyes, which had now completely fallen over her shoulders. The chains clinging to her body clanked together with each step that she took. Cad Bane took her arm and forcefully shoved her out from the musty room and into the narrow hallway. In his other hand, he gripped a device with a blatant red button. Dakota eyed it.

"You like this?" Bane noticed that she was looking at the remote in his hand "If you so much as struggle against these bonds, I'll shock you senseless"

"Hm" she hummed.

The main front hatch of Bane's vessel opened up slowly, revealing a surprisingly gorgeous view outside. She hadn't expected to see shining gold buildings and exotic flowers dotted across the landscape. It was beautiful "Get moving" he pushed her forward.

"At least tell me where in the galaxy I am" she started down the open hatch, the bright suns that surround the unfamiliar planet nearly blinding her.

"Canto Bight"

"Cantonica" she connected "The casino planet?"

Bane raised up his blaster and held it at her head "That's enough talking Jedi, or I'm pulling the trigger" he warned. She shrugged but closed her lips, continuing to the landing platform below. There was a glorious city that surrounded her at all edges, with a shimmering sea not too far in the distance. It was clear that wealth was present here. Gold paved the way and coated the city buildings. Other travelers had landed their designer vessels on the platform and dawned expensive clothing and exotic makeup.